Ministry Of Health’s Virtual Media Briefing On COVID-19 – Monday April 27th 2020

Key Points From The Ministry Of Health’s Virtual Media Briefing On COVID-19 – Monday April 27th 2020 - The following is the update on COVID-19 patients across the various facilities: CAURA: No patients COUVA: 9 patients (Ambulatory, Mild, Asymptomatic) SANGRE GRANDE STEP DOWN FACILITY: 8 patients (Asymptomatic, Low Risk, Stable) HOME OF FOOTBALL: 32 patients (Asymptomatic, Low Risk, Stable) TACARIGUA CONVALESCENT CENTRE: 33 (Barbados group almost completed a first week of quarantine) - Starting this week, the Ministry of Health will be deepening its relationship and support of Residential Care facilities. Random testing will begin at these Homes for elderly residents. Masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be provided to workers at these facilities free of charge. - Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh called on parents and guardians to get their children immunised, noting that immunisation programmes in other countries have fallen off at this time.He said, "Whilst we have no drop off as yet, we have to learn from other countries." - HIV clinics are open. Patients are asked to continue visiting these facilities for treatment. - Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh noted that there has been widespread support for the Stay At Home extension. He encouraged citizens to stay the course for the remaining period: "If we comply, we will get through this stronger and better." - Technical Director in the Epidemiology Division at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Avery Hinds, responded to an article on the death rate in T&T due to pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses over the last four months. Noting that 2019 was a very active year for deaths by pneumonia and respiratory illnesses, he said chronic diseases remain the main cause of death in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Hinds said the article did not have context and failed to use comparative data from the previous year, or previous four months. He noted that data analysis on mortality rates is a specialised field which requires extensive training and specific programmes and processes to be used. He said a lot has to be done before assigning a Cause of Death for any person. He stated: “This is a dangerous use of data, it is not the appropriate way for mortality data to be used.” - Technical Director in the Epidemiology Division at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Avery Hinds, said there has been no evidence showing that recovered COVID-19 patients in T&T have had relapses. - National Security Minister Stuart Young clarified reports on chartered flights arriving in T&T over the weekend with passengers. He confirmed that five chartered flights came to collect 62 Non-Nationals who were working offshore on rigs to return them home. The 62 Non-Nationals were staggered over the five flights. Minister Young assured that the passage of these 62 Non-Nationals through T&T posed no threat as they were brought in on a marine vessel, escorted on sanitised buses to Piarco, and were not allowed to disembark. He said it was a carefully managed operation to get these Non-Nationals back to their homes. - In addition, National Security Minister Stuart Young confirmed that the French military requested overpass flights which were allowed. The US military also requested the same to pick up military personnel and American citizens from South America who were making their way back home. Again, no one was allowed to disembark. - TT Nationals in Suriname will be granted permission to enter Trinidad and Tobago but just like the cruise ship cohort and 33 Nationals who recently returned from Barbados, they will be subject to quarantine. - T&T continues to use technology for border control. Just this morning, some TT nationals were picked up with fish and shrimp as they were returning from Venezuelan waters, in complete contravention of the Customs Act and COVID restrictions. The TT Nationals were escorted back to Venezuela to face charges. - T&T already has measures in place in the event of an influx of deportees when the borders are eventually reopened. - Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the parallel health care system will continue to run for some time, until a vaccine is found for COVID-19. He added: "You don't know what other pathogen is lurking around the corner to attack us."